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Heated Bottling Tanks and Raw Honey

I am considering the purchase of a heated bottling tank. I was recently talking to a beekeeper who has a heated bottling tank. He said the tank heats it to 125 degrees, and it kills any yeasts and retards the crystalization of the honey. Up until now, I have been bottling honey at room temperature, and I was impressed by the time savings the heated bottling tank could provide.

I have been marketing my honey as raw honey. How hot can you heat honey and still call it raw? If 125 is too hot to call it raw, even if I only heat it to 110, it will still bottle much faster than room temp honey from a 5 gallon bucket with a honey gate.

Re: Heated Bottling Tanks and Raw Honey

i believe 125 degrees would be more detrimental to the enzimes (that we want) than the wild yeasts. it will help retard crystalization, though. i dont consider any honey that is artificially heated to be "raw". good luck,mike

"Wine is a constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy" Ben Franklin

Re: Heated Bottling Tanks and Raw Honey

I have heard both temps of 120 degrees and anything above 95-97 degrees which is the temp that the bees keep the brood nest at.

I did find this if it is any help. "However, there is a general consensus that honey is processed and bottled at a temperature that does not raise above maximum ambient hive temperature of 118 degrees can still be labeled as raw honey. At 125 degrees the live enzymes in honey start to be damaged. At 140 degrees honey can be labeled as pasteurized wherein all live enzymes and many nutrients are damaged or destroyed."http://www.rawhoneybest.com/raw-honey-organic-honey/